Cultivating entryways for student STEM access is integral to the NNSS’ outreach mission. As part of its 2025 engagement with the community, the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) partnered with Nevada Flight Crew, a Nevada Afterschool Network program for students ages 12 to 16 to gain STEM experiences beyond the classroom.
With nine students recently completing the third iteration of the program, Nevada Flight Crew offered opportunities in STEM skills, leadership, advocacy and public speaking while opening doors to potential career pathways. On June 12, Nevada Flight Crew students met with members of the NNSS’ Enhanced Capabilities for Subcritical Experiments and Stockpile Experimentation and Operations teams for a first-hand look at how scientists and engineers collaborate to gain the data used to support stockpile certification and national security.
Students toured a gas gun, complete with a demonstration on how advanced diagnostics are obtained through a projectile entering a target chamber at speeds of more than 1,200 miles an hour, followed by a visit to the Integrated Test Stand, where modules for the Advanced Sources and Detectors Scorpius project are currently undergoing assembly and testing prior to underground placement.
“We are always looking for opportunities to partner with organizations that place an emphasis on STEM education, so the Nevada Flight Crew was a great fit for us,” said NNSS Strategic Engagement & Communications Senior Administrative Specialist Brianna Majdanac. “We were thrilled to give these students the unique opportunity to tour our facility and have the chance to speak with our engineers and scientists one-on-one. These interactions can be crucial for students as they decide what path to take in their educational career. Through our partnerships with local organizations and our own STEM programming, it is our mission to provide as many impactful learning experiences as we can to students of all backgrounds.”
2024-2025 Nevada Flight Crew participant Emma worked directly with NNSS Technical Manager Dr. Amber Guckes during the academic year for mentorship on educational and career planning. A University of Nevada-Las Vegas alumna, Dr. Guckes was awarded the prestigious Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers earlier this year for her pioneering research in next-generation current mode radiation detectors for Stockpile Stewardship applications. Connecting the next generation with STEM opportunities is integral to her work in outreach.
“Nevada Flight Crew first sparked my interest to grow my leadership and communication skills and advocate for STEM,” said Emma, who is entering the 10th grade. “Amber and I worked on exploring engineering. I’m interested in engineering, but not sure exactly which way I’d want to go with it, so we focused on exploring nuclear engineering as a whole. There are many opportunities in STEM in Nevada — you just have to be able to look for them and seek them.”
“At this stage in her academic career, the best thing I can do for Emma is to be a guide for her: introduce opportunities in STEM that she hadn’t considered or known about and help her navigate tough technical and personal challenges to build her confidence,” said Dr. Guckes. “Participating in the Nevada Flight Crew or similar program gives students like Emma an edge when it comes to entering into a STEM career. They gain access to information and resources to help them pursue their dreams. These things may not be readily available to a student who doesn’t participate in such a program.
The NNSS also partnered with Nevada Flight Crew during the April 2025 STEM Saturday session, where students presented how the cohort has influenced their pursuit of STEM fields.
“The NNSS is a hub of STEM innovation and outreach in Southern Nevada,” added Dr. Guckes. “We are well-connected and ever-present within the scientific community and our local community. It is my wish that even more students had access to and knew about the opportunities that the NNSS provides to K-12 students, college students and those ready to jump into a STEM career.”
